The Reaction

‘The year’s Divergent’ - Sun

The Catalyst is a complicated, rich world of magic and danger. While it seems simple at first, nothing is black and white, and nothing is what it seems. Both fantastical and startlingly relevant and contemporary, it’s tense, exciting, engaging and has at its heart a central character whose incredibly personal story becomes caught up in huge battles and some even bigger ideas. - Claire North

A phenomenal achievement… assured, frightening, action-packed - Observer

‘Helena Coggan is only 15, and yet her debut novel has all the assurance of a writer in mid-stride. If young writers can overcome the stare of the blank page - and take care with characterisation - they can stand as an inspiration to all’ - Guardian

‘A pulsing, labyrinthine, emotionally visceral plot’ - Metro

‘At the heart of this hugely ambitious story, by a 15-year-old newcomer, is a great big universal truth - we all think we’re different. The Catalyst takes this idea and runs with it. This is a stunning debut, exploding with life, ideas and passion’ - Daily Mail

[The Catalyst is] very appealing and completely lively throughout. This was an absolutely impressive debut novel from a young voice who is fast going attract a huge following. Hunger Games eat your heart out. Loved it. Highly Recommended. - Liz Loves Books

‘The Catalyst was a gripping read. It is action-packed and not once are you left feeling bored or waiting for something to happen. What Helena brilliantly manages to create is suspense…a truly brilliant, gripping and suspenseful read’ - Laura’s Little Book blog

Helena Coggan wrote the first draft of her debut novel, The Catalyst, when she was thirteen. It was published two years later and was named as one of 2015’s Debuts of the Year by the Guardian and Amazon, and featured by The Sunday Times, the Observer, the Daily Mail, the Sun, the Daily Metro, the Sunday Express, Radio 4, NBC, and BBC Breakfast. Up until she started writing it, she spent most of her time waiting for her Hogwarts letter to arrive, or for the Tardis to appear in her garden; she would like to pretend she has stopped doing this now, but doubts she ever will.

She lives in London with her parents and sister, and spends most of her time suppressing the thought that she should probably be doing her homework. The Reaction, the sequel to The Catalyst, is her second novel.